Study: Type 1 Diabetes Link to Gut Bacteria Changes and Inflammation

A new study has found that people with type 1 diabetes have inflammation in their digestive tract and gut bacteria that differs from those without diabetes or those with celiac disease.

The study has been published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

According to a EurekAlert!press release, researchers in Italy looked at the microbiome of 54 people who had endoscopies and biopsies on the first part of their small intestine, also called the duodenum. These procedures took place either as a way to diagnose a gastrointestinal disorder or by individuals who chose to participate in the study.

The researchers were then able to look at the gastrointestinal tract and the bacteria in it. Analysis of tissue samples produced high-resolution pictures of the innermost layer of the gastrointestinal tract.

They found that those with type 1 diabetes showed much more signs of inflammation of the gut’s mucous membrane linked to 10 specific genes that the participants with celiac disease or those who served as healthy control subjects. Those with type 1 diabetes also had a different combination of gut bacteria than the other two groups.

What Do These Findings Mean?

Dr. Lorenzo Piemonte of the Diabetes Research Institute at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy said in the press release, “Our findings indicate the individuals with Type 1 diabetes have an inflammatory signature and microbiome that differ from what we see in people who do not have diabetes or even in those with other autoimmune conditions such as celiac disease,” and that “Some researchers have theorized that the gut may contribute to the development of Type 1 diabetes, so it is important to understand how the disease affects the digestive system and microbiome.”

It is important to understand how type 1 diabetes affects the digestive system and microbiome because researchers don’t yet know if these changes are caused by type 1 diabetes or if they are the cause of type 1 diabetes–a crucial distinction to make.

Piemonte concluded that “By exploring this, we may be able to find new ways to treat the disease by targeting the unique gastrointestinal characteristics of individuals with Type 1 diabetes.”

The Gut and Type 1 Diabetes Connection

Other studies have recently brought up the connection between type 1 diabetes and the gut.

In one study, children with type 1 diabetes were found to have increased gut permeability, which may increase the risk of type 1 diabetes since food antigens and enteroviruses are possible type 1 diabetes triggers and gut permeability of the intestinal epithelium might allow these antigens to cross into the mucosal immune system.

In another study also showed increased gut permeability and a change to the microvilli in the gut and the researchers concluded that this suggests a possible cause for type 1 diabetes.

Sysy Morales has lived with type 1 diabetes for 23 years. She also blogs at The Girls Guide to Diabetes, is a motivational speaker, and is a graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Sysy lives in Virginia with her husband and 8 year old twins.